


Light Reading

by ArliahTheBard (arliah)



Category: Blades of Light and Shadow (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23599705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arliah/pseuds/ArliahTheBard
Summary: This was a short fic inspired bythisfanart of Tyril and Mal.
Relationships: Tyril Starfury/Mal Volari
Comments: 13
Kudos: 32





	Light Reading

**Author's Note:**

> This was a short fic inspired by [this](https://meindraws.tumblr.com/post/615122864868409344) fanart of Tyril and Mal.

“Has anyone seen my-” Tyril stops in his tracks once he spots Mal sitting by the fire, all alone with his face buried in a spellbook, Tyril’s collection of spells he has learned over the years. Most of them he knows by heart but he still carries the book with him everywhere, partly for more complex spells, mostly out of habit.

He stalks Mal, making as little noise as he can and keeping his distance. It’s nearly impossible to sneak up on the rogue but he’s especially focused on the book at the moment that he doesn’t notice Tyril’s approaching footsteps. Or so Tyril thinks.

“You’re forgetting I’m the stealth master here, elf boy.” Mal grabs the mage’s wrist as he is reaching around to cover his eyes. Mal tilts his head upwards to find Tyril looking down at him, the light from the campfire making his piercing blue eyes a light shade of turquoise.

Tyril smiles warmly at Mal, ruffling his hair with his slender fingers. Mal goes back to reading. “Up for some light reading, I see.”

“Am I dreaming or did you just make a pun about light magic?” Mal says without looking up.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I was going to return this to you without you knowing but I got caught up reading it instead,” Mal explains. “Some of this stuff’s pretty impressive. How do you do it?”

“It’s hard to explain” Tyril pauses, trying to come up with a way to explain something that’s almost as natural as breathing to him. “It’s like drawing water from a well, I draw the source of magic from within me and then release it in whichever form I please. It’s not so different from a crafty rogue using his surroundings to manipulate the odds of the fight to his favor.”

Without saying another word, Mal turns to the next page. For a moment, only the crackling of the fire is the only sound he hears, along with the occasional chirping of crickets. It’s almost as if Tyril has left him alone until Mal feels the mage rest his chin on top of his head. Finally, Tyril lets out a frustrated sigh.

“If you’re going to read it, at least go to the exciting part.” Tyril reaches out to flip the pages to a lightning spell, much to Mal’s annoyance. “This one’s one of my favorites. It took me years to perfect.”

“But this just looks like gibberish to me.” Mal snaps the book shut and tosses it on the ground. He starts to get up but Tyril pushes him back down on the log he’s sitting on.

Still standing behind Mal, Tyril holds his arm out in front of them. He crouches and leans forward until their faces are side by side, inches from each other. Mal tenses up, feeling his ears burn up but he doesn’t move.

With hawk-like concentration, Tyril focuses on his fingers until tiny sparks of lightning dance at their tips. The sparks grow bigger at Tyril’s command and then they gradually dissipate, leaving a fizzle before completely disappearing.

“Is it okay for you to do that? I thought you use your life source even for spells like that?” Mal asks.

“I’m not completely immune to self-indulgence, you know.” Tyril pulls away and picks up the spellbook before putting it back in his pouch.

“Oh was that it, self-indulgence? I thought you were just trying to impress me.” Mal grins but Tyril tries to stay indifferent to his teasing.

“Impressing you _is_ a form of self-indulgence. At least for me.” Tyril says, his voice sultry and almost a whisper as he leans in close to Mal. The mage then walks into his tent, leaving a flustered Mal with a stunned expression on his face.


End file.
